A New Life Series - Finisher Set

by Samantha Jacobey

The thought pained him again, and he promised himself he would never do that to her. He loved this woman and felt that doing so would be a show of great disrespect. If that’s really how she wants to be treated, she should go back to the dark haired man who loved to fuck her in that degrading manner.

  Kissing and nuzzling the back of her neck, he whispered to her quietly, “You know I will never do that to you.” His left hand pushed deep into the black curls, caressing her scalp tenderly as he spoke. He could hear her gentle sobs and feel her ragged breath.

  Tori felt torn, between the two worlds again, not sure where her loyalties really lay. Cursing to herself, she knew she only wanted him to feel that she loved him, which she did, but her indecision had been exposed and she felt dirty all over again, unworthy of his devotion. Pushing his fingers out of their new location, she freed herself enough to roll away from him, turning to look him in the eye as she confessed her sins.

  True Desire

  “I’m so sorry,” she whispered into the dim light. She could make out his face clearly in the grey moon glow that filtered in through the window. “I just have this thing inside of me; I don’t really know what to do about it.”

  Michael reached out, smoothing the hair away from her face so he could peer into her eyes more easily. He didn’t have to say he understood; she knew that he did. “You have a plan?” he asked in his sultry tone. Inwardly, he smiled to himself, she always has a plan.

  “I want to be here,” she countered eagerly. “I want to love you. I know this is where I belong.” She spoke hoarsely, the emotion causing her voice to crackle.

  Michael lay quiet for a moment, mulling over her choice of words. She’s such a smart lady, such strong intuition about how the heart and mind are connected. The hard part could be found in the words she didn’t say. She had said what she thought in her head, but she didn’t mention her real desires, the ones that come from the heart. Many people allow them to be the guiding force in their lives.

  Not Tori. She’s too smart for that. She feels that hearts are easily deceived, and it’s only by clear thought and understanding that a true path should be chosen. Nodding, Michael leaned forward and kissed her pretty lips. His heart skipped a beat in reaction, and he knew that he loved her more than ever.

  Pushing her onto her back, he split her legs to reclaim her. She accepted him eagerly, and he continued to whisper to her as he moved gently in slow, deep strokes. “You are so perfect for me. They thought they made you for their terrible purpose. But that’s not really what you are for.”

  He stared into her crystal blue eyes beneath him, continuing to run his fingers through her hair. “You were made for me... to lay beside me in the dark… to walk beside me in the light. The perfect woman to share my life. Nothing to hide, nothing to fear. Completely free to be ourselves in all that we are and do.”

  Her lip trembled at his words, knowing they were correct. Wrapping her legs around him tightly, she held him inside her while he moved within her sloppy wetness. Her heart brimming, she knew he spoke the truth. No man had ever touched her heart the way he had. Not Enrique, not Brett, and certainly not Eli.

  Grasping her limbs behind the knee, she pulled them down and back, allowing him fuller access to her warmth and he could drive himself against her more heavily, causing her to moan loudly. She could feel the liquid running between her folds to coat the other place, the one other men used; men who did not love her like Michael did. This was right and he was right, and she knew that in time she would lose the old desires if she left them where they lay, clinging to the truth in her life.

  When they were satiated, the couple turned to snuggle beneath their light summer blankets, content to hold each other in the darkness until sleep overtook them. The alarm rang out at 5:00 am, and Tori sprang up to go for her morning routine.

  Michael rolled over, gratified to stretch across the warm spot in the bedding that she left behind, and she smiled as she ran her fingers playfully through his brown curls.

  Briefly, she thought of rousing him to satisfy her physical needs. Instead, she dressed in her black spandex and slipped out of the house in the early morning darkness. Making her way through her warm up run, she returned to her tree and made it through twelve sets of twelve, pushups, squats, lunges and speed skaters. God, I love this place, the coolness of the air. Fall will be here soon, and the first anniversary of our second meeting.

  Leaning against her tree, she thought about how hard she had always pushed herself to remain physically fit. The Scorpions are gone. I think I might be ready to take on a more traditional role as a woman; as much as I am able.

  Staring out into the early light, Tori allowed her mind to wander. It’s time for me to see a doctor. I need to know once and for all what my future can and cannot hold. If Eddie had successfully ruined her chances of ever bearing a child, so be it, but she needed to know for sure so she could plan the path before her accordingly.

  Taking to relaxing stretches, she considered the role her brother could possibly have in her changing life. We have reached an agreement, I guess; and I understand it has benefits for me. I love to empty my heart and soul into my music. Even though Michael had wanted her to write happy songs, she found the best were the ones where she delved into the deepest darkest memories and pain of her life.

  Brian could help her reach into that void more fully, making it possible for her to record the music on paper. That way my words have the sound that brings them to life. She never intended to share her music with the world, but writing it down still had a certain appeal. They say our paths are crossed by people for a reason. Maybe this is why my brother has been returned to my life, even if I wanted to avoid it.

  Feeling relaxed, Tori made her way into the house. Removing eggs and bacon from the refrigerator, she placed a large flat griddle across two of the burners on the stove. Cracking open eggs, she began to scramble them, strips of meat frying on the far end. Adding a small amount of cheese and seasoning, she stirred the mixture to the proper consistency and started a pot of coffee.

  Awakening to the smell of the delicious breakfast, both of the men in her life soon appeared. Brian wore a horrid case of bed-head, his dark locks sticking out straight in several places. She laughed inwardly, the smile teasing her lips. He’s so not a morning person, like Lins. Only allowing herself a brief moment to think about the girl who had helped her so much, she soon pushed the thoughts away and returned to the present.

  Taking their seats, the trio ate merrily and made plans for the day. “I think I’ll take you through the next set of repairs on the bike,” Tori put her hat in the ring.

  “Not today,” Brian challenged. “Today, I’m in charge. We can start by playing together, find out what you really know, and go from there.”

  Remembering her promise and her morning of brainstorming, she nodded her agreement to the agenda.

  “Hey, that’s a great idea,” Michael quickly agreed, “It’ll give me a chance to take care of some business in town that I’ve been neglecting.”

  His wife eyed him, slightly suspicious before giving him a small grin, confident he once again had something up his sleeve, and he let himself out of the house shortly thereafter to be on his way, planning his next big surprise for the love of his life.

  Arriving at the massive Victorian style house, Michael stood on the porch and surveyed his accomplishments thus far. Reaching up, he gave a light tap on the frame before opening the screen and calling inside, “Hello?” He heard Marge reciprocate from upstairs, and made his way into the living room, allowing the door to close gently behind him.

  Straightening up a bit, he felt comfortable in the house, as he and Marge had formed a strange type of friendship in the last few weeks. She’s in worse shape than she lets on; I really hate that I’m not allowed to tell anyone how much she really hurts or how little she’s able to do on a daily basis. He had reluctantly agreed, on the stipulation that she would keep his wife’s past a secret, and accept their help.
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  He had been watching Tori’s softer side grow during the spring as she had worked with the woman’s grandsons. He knew she would benefit from helping the older woman, and intended for Tori to accompany him on his visits. Marge had been slow to approve of his being there, but eventually had come to appreciate the younger man’s aid.

  Coming down the stairs, she could see her sandy-haired benefactor putting things in order. She gave him a small smile, “I hear yur wife’s returned. I take it our town is once again safe frum th’ hoodlums who would overrun us?”

  “Damn, you heard my good news. I knew I should have told you sooner.” He liked her sense of humor and agreed with a laugh, “Yes ma’am, our town is safe. Things are complicated though. Her brother is still here, not leaving for a few more weeks. I’ll start bringing her with me when that time comes, if you don’t mind, so she can help out with some of the chores around here.”

  She nodded slightly, “Are you sure she’ll wanna come help a mean ol’ woman like me?”

  He bobbed his head reassuringly, knowing his wife’s good nature would surely prevail. He set about taking care of the things that would need doing around the old place, humming to himself while he worked.

  What Rivalry?

  Tori grabbed a quick shower, while Brian set about cleaning up the kitchen. When she returned, they worked easily together, talking about likes and dislikes, making a comparison between the two of them. She had begun to make a list of the things that they had in common, and found it especially gratifying that they both held such a deep appreciation for music and played the guitar, among other things.

  She liked the fact that they both spoke French, and using it often had made it a goal to help him regain full use of the language. Deep down, she feared her having spoken it to be one of the reasons Eddie had chosen her for his sinister plot.

  Finishing with the chores, they climbed into her pickup to take the television over and tossed it into the metal building with the rest of the group’s instruments. Tori felt glad to be rid of it, as she saw no need for such a device.

  Bringing his guitar and amp out of his bedroom, they shifted things around in the front room to allow for everything to be set up. The space had begun to feel a little cramped, but still held the necessary items to maintain its functionality if they were going to play together without moving back out to the garage.

  Taking up their instruments, they quickly went through what the girl knew, and it did not take Brian long to solidify his belief that she was truly talented. Listening and watching her hands and expression, she played one riff after another, and he grasped that she played from within. He brought out several pieces of sheet music, and then discovered that she had no clue how to read it.

  “But, they had music in the store, in Terry’s shop in LA. You never even looked at it?” he asked in a disbelieving tone.

  Slightly embarrassed, she admitted, “I never cared about it. Henry taught me how to play on his six string in Brazil, and all I had was my ear to go by. When I picked up the electric model last year, I used what I already knew. I felt good when I played, and I made it reflect what I felt inside.”

  She grinned as she confessed, “I loved that white guitar, and a few times even discouraged people from buying it so I could keep it there. I even played music on the speakers during the day to try it out for myself when I was alone.”

  Running his fingers through his hair, he decided he might as well start at the beginning, with the treble clef, the ledger lines, and what the notes and rests look like. He found that she was a quick study, absorbing everything he told her like a sponge. She brought out a spiral notebook, and made notes periodically about the things that he said, intending to study and reflect upon them later.

  He also took the time to show her how to properly record the chords she used, which is what she had more or less been trying to do with her previous attempts to put her thoughts into written form. Brian smiled at her overjoyed expression, as she would be able to take some of the first few songs she had written and turn what had been in her mind into something he could read and follow.

  Michael returned in the early evening to discover they had begun playing together, and she sang to him while playing one of her most-beloved pieces. Entering the house, he felt a small stab of disappointment that she chose to start with one of her saddest songs, not that there are any happy ones in her notebook, either… only degrees of sorrow, he grimaced.

  Allowing them to continue, Michael prepared their meal of baked chicken, vegetables and salad. He rather enjoyed seeing the two of them, playing side by side, and noted they appeared quite happy to do so.

  Giving her brother a wide grin, Tori’s fingers moved through a complex riff.

  Brian’s brow furrowed with a small twinge of jealousy. She’s only been playing a short time. What has taken me years to perfect, she seems to have come by naturally. “You know, that was always a problem between us,” he pointed back and forth at her and himself with his thumb, “The way you make everything look so simple.”

  “And what’s that supposed to mean?” her jaw tightened.

  “You were always so… perfect.” He could not think of a better word to use than that. “I always worked hard and struggled. You,” he indicated her with an open palm, “You always had everything easy. People liked you and you always got your way. You learned everything like on the first try and never had to work for anything.”

  Tori stared at him, still not fully grasping the meaning of what he said. “I do too work hard. I work hard every day.” She felt angry, as if he had called her lazy or something.

  Shaking his head, he tried to clarify. “That’s not what I meant. I didn’t say you don’t work hard, I said you didn’t have to. There’s a difference. You put yourself into things because you want to, but even if you don’t, you’re ok. Me, if I hadn’t pushed myself, I never would’ve been able to play in the band.”

  She stared at him, a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. Does he really think I’m good at this? Laughing at him, “Stop picking on me like that. I’m not stupid enough to think I’m any better than the average person, much less as good as you are.” Inwardly, she beamed with joy.

  Brian let the subject go, only to return to it over dinner. Commenting in an offhand manner, he made a bold suggestion, “The two of you should come with me to New York. You could play with the band and give that a try. I think you have totally missed my point about your ability, and I would really like the rest of the guys to back me up on this. I’m sure that they would, too.”

  Michael’s head snapped up at the remark, giving his newly found brother-in-law a long stare. He had wanted the two of them to get to know each other, but he had no intention of allowing her to head off after him, delving into the dirty lifestyle he had witnessed that the band enjoyed. Thinking about the tall white house he currently worked to secure for them, he knew it would be imperative that they not follow that suggestion.

  Chuckling quietly, he tried to cover his concern and guide the conversation in a more suitable direction. “She don’t wanna go hang out with a bunch of rowdy guys, drinking and carousing at all hours of the day and night.” He made the observation flippantly and then ploughed on with local news.

  “School starts next Monday and Trish wanted to know if the boys would be welcome here again this year.” He gave his wife an encouraging smile as she considered how she would feel about having the pair around again.

  Tori hid her guilty thoughts, seeing her mate’s eager expression. Playing with Brian had awakened a new desire inside of her, and she had experienced a brief flicker of excitement at the idea of playing with her brother’s band. “I’m not really sure the boys will like that. They haven’t even spoken to me since I got back, and I’m really concerned about what they have heard about me since we were publicly escorted out of town by the Feds back in June.”

  It was a genuine concern, and even as Trish might have been firmly on Tori’s side, there were othe
rs in town that were not so willing to accept her back after the unpleasant departure. He nodded, “I’ll have a word with the boys and see if I can get to the bottom of things.”

  Tori mumbled a small agreement. In her heart, the anxiety lingered, I don’t really want to be tied down to such a commitment. She refused to vocalize her distress, only flipping her gaze between the two men as she considered where each of their suggestions might lead, and the desire to be able to choose.

  Being mid-August, still summer for all intents and purposes, the three made their way outside to relax on the grass under Tori’s tree after dinner. The sun sank low in the sky, the sound of the locusts buzzing in the limbs above them. Hearing the hum of mosquitos, Michael went back inside, returning a few minutes later with a large citronella candle, and placing it in the midst of the group.

  Watching the flicker of the small fire, Tori felt compelled to share one of her tales about her life with her brother. “So, are you up for hearing a story?”

  “A story?” he sounded shocked, “Is it going to be gruesome or depressing?” He hated to have the fine evening ruined.

  Giving him a devious smile, “No, it isn’t. I was about twelve or thirteen, which is before the gruesome and depressing stuff really started.”

  Brian nodded, “I guess, go for it,” inwardly eager to hear something from her past in her own words.

  She began wistfully, “The camp I grew up in was a beautiful place, but wild in every sense of the word.”

  “Wild, huh, like with Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh my?” Brian mocked her slightly, and Tori only stared at him, not understanding the reference.

  “No, it’s South America, not Africa; there weren’t any of those things,” her voice trailed away in her confusion.

  Grinning even more, he shook his head, “Never mind, sis; it’s a joke, but it’s not funny if I have to explain it. Well, actually it is, ‘cause you have no clue what I’m talking about.” He laughed out loud, Michael joining him for a moment.